


A Pirates Life For Me

by Lanihaluki



Category: The Unwanteds Series - Lisa McMann
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Friendship, Gen, Mutual Pining, basically everyone is a pirate except Sky
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:29:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24430603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lanihaluki/pseuds/Lanihaluki
Summary: Sky, coming from a family of rich nobles, has always lived her life the same way. But that all changes when she meets Aaron Stowe for the first time, and her life turns completely upside down.(aka, the pirate AU you never asked for but got anyway)
Relationships: Alex Stowe & Aaron Stowe, Alex Stowe/Sky, Lani Haluki/Samheed Burkesh
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	1. Aaron Stowe

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote this a few years ago and originally I deleted it bc I just wasn't happy with how it turned out (also it was pretty violent what the heck??), but my friend was begging me to post it again so here it is!! I basically rewrote the entire thing bc ngl my writing was REALLY bad, and so far I just have the first chapter rewritten. But hoping that once I get the others up, I'll be able to continue this!
> 
> also I saw a TDP pirate au on Tumblr so I was like yeah. I should really get my pirate au started again haha
> 
> Please enjoy, and if u like it, feel free to leave comments!!

The sky was cloudless and bright on the morning before everything fell apart.

A carriage, led by two white horses, bustled down the countryside. The trip for the three passengers was quite an unpleasant one, as the party took nearly two hours to get to. Speaking of these passengers, they were one of the richest on Warbler Island. There were a lot of rich inhabitants on the island, since their Queen had many ships, which could be used for trade and warfare.

Queen Eagala tended to hide away deep in the mountains where her kingdom was located, but that didn't mean she left her people isolated. She offered jobs for all those who were worthy, and by some miracle, the family in the carriage were the first to get them. Becoming very rich came with new opportunities, like moving into a large mansion, affording to buy maids, and getting connections with other wealthy, high social class families. Often, these connections would flourish by going to a party, or usually by getting married. That was the way life worked for families with importance, and Sky's family was exactly that.

Sky could never sit still on carriage rides as bumpy as these. She would've preferred walking or riding a horse, but she knew her mother would call her improper for even mentioning those things. Warbler was by far one of the most proper in all the seven islands. For someone as high social ranking as her, she was required to wear the tightest corset imaginable (apparently not being able to breathe was in fashion), knee-high frilled white stockings, black Mary Jane shoes, and a long gown with too many buttons and layers.

And she _hated_ wearing it. Ironically, dresses were never Sky's thing. She always felt too hot, too stiff, too uncomfortable. At home when no one was around, she liked to borrow her father's old clothes just for fun. Apparently dressing up as a boy was the only way Sky _did_ feel comfortable, with how loose the clothing was. Sky found herself wishing almost every day that she could just wear pants, although in her world, that wasn't an option. Someday, she really hoped it would be.

Today, she was dressed exceedingly nice. She wore her favorite dress, a sunset-colored one that matched the golden orange of her eyes. Her dark copper hair had been twisted up into a crown braid at the top of her head, and her mother swore it made her blond highlights stand out more than usual. Sky's mother, Copper, believed tight updos made her look more beautiful, but Sky thought it looked like a snake had woven itself in her hair. It was so tight that Sky kept pulling at it to make it looser.

A large part of her wished she could've at least worn her father's boots today, but going to a huge party full of many wealthy people made her change her mind. She couldn't ruin this for her family. She had to look pretty. _Decent_. Whatever. It made Sky roll her eyes. She seriously couldn't wait to get out of this ridiculous outfit.

Sky stared out the window, a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. She hadn't a clue why they were going to this party. It was obviously for social gathering purposes, but she still didn't think she _had_ to go. What was this party for, anyway? It couldn't be for only small talk. Last time she went to a party like that, she was ten years-old and bored out of her mind. She asked her mother about it, but she refused to tell her, only giving her a smile and saying, "It's a surprise!"

Sure, _that_ really cleared things up.

Maybe it was a birthday party they were going to? Her gaze slid to Crow, who was dressed as fancy as she was. He was best friends with a boy named Henry Haluki, but Sky had never actually seen this boy before. Crow had gone to a birthday party for him every year. Whenever Sky asked if she could come too, her brother scowled and told her she wasn't allowed. It was even stranger when she found out that Crow never told their mother about the birthday parties. It was almost like he was sneaking out of the house . . . almost as if he was doing something he shouldn't be.

She thought of any other possibilities. Her mother didn't have many friends that lived this far away, and nor did Sky. It was hard to make friends when you have to be so reserved all the time. She wasn't permitted to speak unless spoken to. She had some friends who were put in the same situations as her, but now that they were teenagers, they didn't have as much freedom like when they were kids. They couldn't even shout or scream in public. In Warberian culture, being silent was the ordinary. So from a young age, Sky had been taught not to speak in public unless she was given permission. She was used to it by now, but it still tended to bother her sometimes.

She furrowed her brows. So where _were_ they going?

"Sky, quit scrunching up your face like that," her mother said, snapping Sky out of her daze. "That'll give you wrinkles when you're my age. You _do_ want perfect skin, don't you?"

"Of course, Mother," Sky muttered.

On the seat next to Copper, Crow snickered. Sky had to try very hard to maintain her lady-like composure and not glare at him.

Sky kept her eyes on her mom. "I was just . . . thinking."

Her mother sighed. "About what? The party?"

Sky pursed her lips. "You haven't told me yet whose party we're attending. It's been itching at me all week!"

Her mother's golden orange eyes, the same trait every Warbler native had, softened. "I know you've been waiting. It is a surprise, you know. Not even your brother knows, if that makes you feel better."

Crow looked up from playing with his wooden toy, a carefully carved crab that was a gift from their father before he passed away. He had named it Karkinos. He liked to make up stories about it. He said it used to be a living crab, but after Henry fed it seaweed, it turned into wood. Sky didn't believe the weird stories he made up, even if they were just for entertainment. Crabs didn't turn into wood!

"Hey, that's not fair to lie like that!" Crow said. "I already know! The party is for-"

"Instead of clamping a hand over his mouth, Copper gave him a look that silenced him before he finished his sentence. She smiled a real, genuine smile and looked at both her children. "No spoiling anything, Crow, or I'll force you to wear Sky's clothing for a week."

He shut his mouth, opened it, and shut it again. "That's ridiculous!"

Sky grinned. "Not really."

"Says you, the most ridiculous one of the family!"

"Hey, I'm still smarter than you."

"Shut up!"

"No, you-"

Their carriage came to an abrupt halt, and someone threw open the door in a matter of moments. Everyone quickly straightened their posture and politely smiled at their coachman. "Copper, Sky, and Crow. We've arrived at the party."

One by one, they exited the carriage in orderly fashion. Sky smoothed down the front of her dress and caught sight of a marvelous house, which was about half the size of her's. They walked around the side of the estate and down a polished, pearly white set of steps. They entered a huge garden maze to see a crowd of people that had to be about a hundred. It was unlike any party the small family had ever been to. Everyone was clad in fancy attire, some even fancier than Sky's. Everyone her age or older was dancing or talking in polite, quiet tones. The children who were closer to Crow's age were free to run through the maze or play games. There was food and drinks being served at various buffet tables. In the middle of the party was an extravagant water fountain, shaped like a winged cheetah in flight. Connected to the path leading to the fountain was a beautiful gazebo.

Sky swallowed hard. She didn't recognize anyone. "Mother, will you tell me why we're here now?"

Her mother smiled. "Fine. I suppose I can tell you this. We're meeting the Stowe family today."

She frowned. That didn't ring a bell. "Who? Why is it this important we meet them?"

Copper shushed her daughter and laced her arm through her's and Crow's. "Shall we? Let's not keep any people waiting."

They entered the party in regal fashion, walking through the crowd and saying hello to people Sky had never met before. They smiled at her, staring at her longer than she would've liked. She wondered if it was her hairstyle. Maybe it really _had_ made her look prettier like her mother said it did. Not that it made her feel any better about being here.

A brown-haired man who looked about Copper's age walked up to them. "Hello. You must be Copper."

Their mother released her grip from Sky's and Crow's arms and smiled. "I am. And you must be William Stowe." She extended her hand and the man kissed it. Crow gagged, and Sky smirked at him.

"Yes," the man said once he'd pulled away. He looked at Sky and Crow. "Ah, and these must be your children."

He stared straight into Sky's eyes, causing her heartbeat to speed up. Something about his eyes made him look practically emotionless. He nodded in approval at her appearance. "Quite a beautiful young lady your daughter has grown up to be. What's her name, again?"

"Sky," her mother replied. Sky only scowled, and her mom shot her a disproving look. Straightening up, Sky quickly swapped it for a small, guilty smile.

"Lovely name," Mr. Stowe said. He glanced at all of them again and gave them an almost timid smile. "Come along, Sky. I'll introduce you to my sons." He cleared his throat and his face turned paler than it already was. He made a gesture for her to start walking with him. "I mean . . . son."

Sky frowned and exchanged a look with Crow. Who in their right mind would believe they had two sons when they only had one?

Copper placed a hand in-between her shoulder blades and firmly pushed her forward. "Go on," she whispered. "Make a good impression."

Sky started forward and straightened her posture as she fell in step with Mr. Stowe. She clasped her sweaty hands together and planted a small smile on her face. She wasn't used to this many people staring at her and commenting "what a lovely young lady she turned out to be." These were all strangers. She felt uncomfortable.

It didn't take long to find Mr. Stowe's son. It wasn't hard to pick him out of the crowd. He was wearing the wealthiest, most tight-fitting clothes Sky had ever seen on a boy her age. He had wavy brown hair cropped close to his head. He was talking with a group of people with impressive charisma and confidence. Sky caught the words "negotiate" and "money." Just hearing those two words made her bored.

Mr. Stowe made a loud sound from the back of his throat. The group turned and all smiled. The boy whipped around. His eyes narrowed. "Father, I was in the middle of entertaining our guests! Don't interrupt me like that! Why didn't you wait until-"

He stopped mid-sentence. His dark eyes fell on Sky and his mouth dropped open. He didn't seem to have the ability to speak anymore. She studied the boy. He seemed a little too arrogant and looked incredibly silly in his ill-fitting clothes. She awkwardly looked away when he wouldn't stop staring.

"Aaron," Mr. Stowe said. "This is Sky, the girl I told you about. She just arrived with her family and I thought I'd properly introduce you two."

The boy, Aaron, shook himself out of his daze and managed to look at his father. He nodded and looked his eyes back on Sky. "Hello. I'm Aaron."

"Sky," she said in her naturally low, hoarse voice, another trait that natives from Warbler had. "Pleasure to meet you."

She forced herself to lift her hand and extend it to him like she'd seen her mother do thousands of times. A chill ran down her spine when he took her hand in his and pressed his lips against it. She tried very hard not to scowl. _Ugh_. The fact that he wouldn't stop staring at her made her uneasy.

"Alright, well, how about you two get acquainted?" Mr. Stowe suggested. "I'll be with my wife if anyone needs me."

With that, he walked briskly away, disappearing into the crowd.

Everyone dispersed into different groups to talk, leaving Sky and Aaron alone. Sky cleared her throat and slid up beside him. "You know what would be nice? A long walk in the garden maze you have. I'd like to, uh . . . exercise my legs after two hours of being in a carriage."

Aaron nodded stiffly, his head jerking so awkwardly that Sky had to hold her laughter in. "Yes, that must've been exhausting. Shall we?"

He held his hand out to her, and she took it. It felt cold and strange, and found herself hoping she wouldn't have to hold it all day. She kept her emotions locked deep inside, something she'd always been good at. She could remain calm and collected for at least a few hours, right?

Of course she could. It's what Sky did best.

* * *

"Ow, you're stepping on my feet!"

"Sorry!" Aaron squeaked, his voice rising a few octaves. "I've never had much practice with dancing. Especially not with, uh, girls."

_More like beautiful girls_ , Sky thought. She knew she was pretty, as lots of people had told her, but she really didn't care to see it. He was obviously crushing hard on her, but she wasn't having any of it.

The walk through the maze had been longer than she expected. They talked for a while. Their conversations mostly consisted about family and life in general. Aaron was studying to be a Governor. His father was a highly wealthy merchant and his mother owned a tavern. He was also a public speaker, and he enjoyed giving political speeches in front of crowds. He liked talking about himself, but he liked learning about Sky even more. Even if she was talking about something as boring as the weather, he would still stare at her like a lost puppy.

They headed back to the party to see everyone out on the dance floor, and Sky's hopes lifted. Maybe this party _wouldn't_ be so bad, with people dancing and all. She suggested it to Aaron, and just as he figured, he didn't refuse. But he _did_ seem uncomfortable about it, which didn't surprise Sky. He didn't seem like the dancing type, or the type to have fun very often. It was kind of sad.

So that's where they were now, stuck on the dance floor. Not that Sky didn't like dancing. She loved it. But something about dancing with Aaron and having to avoid being stepped on wasn't a good mix. She yelped a fifth time when he brought his boot down on her toes.

Aaron frowned. "I'm not very good at dancing, as you can see."

Sky laughed softly. "That's okay. I'm not either."

He adjusted his hand on her waist, making it even harder to breathe than it was with the tight corset on. She ignored the pain and sucked in slow breaths. They spun around the courtyard, causing Sky's head to spin from lack of oxygen. She trained her eyes to the ground and took gulps of air.

"I have a question for you," she heard Aaron say.

She met his eyes and raised an eyebrow. "Alright. What is it?"

If it was possible, his face turned redder then it'd been all day. "Why are your eyes orange?"

She frowned. "Hm. Well, I'm not positive. I heard that when any person is born in Warbler, they are required to have these acid eye drops put in their eyes. I hardly remember it, though. Do you think that would hurt? Acid eye drops?"

Aaron shrugged. "Who cares? I won't be getting any eye color change anytime soon, so I have nothing to worry about."

Sky bit back a sarcastic retort. She heard her mother's voice in her head, telling her to remain calm. So she did. "Okay. I have a question for you, now."

"Yes?"

"Why is it that . . ." She struggled to think of the right wording. "Why is it that when your father said he'd introduce you to me, he said _sons_ instead of son?"

Aaron's gaze hardened. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She studied him, noticing the way his jaw was clenched and his eyes were haunted. His grip on her hand tightened to a death grip. She didn't try to pull away. "I think you do, Aaron. You can trust me. I'm not going to tell."

He bit his lip and took a sudden interest in the grass. They stopped dancing. When he spoke this time, his voice was filled with bitterness and hatred. "I had a twin brother, once. He's . . . he's not . . ."

A pang of sympathy filled Sky. She knew how hard it was a lose someone. She'd lost her father when she was young. While their mother had sat in her room for months, staring at the wall, Sky and Crow sought comfort in each other. They always had. She could tell Aaron didn't have anyone like that, judging from his cold demeanor toward his parents.

She gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Aaron."

He stared at the grass for a while, not responding. They stood like that for a long time, Sky awaiting his response with a feeling of slight awkwardness. When he finally looked up, he seemed different, colder and more distant than before. He wasn't looking at her, but somewhere far away on the horizon, deep in thought.

"Don't be," Aaron said quietly, a sharp edge to his voice.

His eyes slid back to her, filled with understanding, and his face softened. He could tell she understood, too. For a moment, Sky didn't see the bratty, annoying boy she was forced to hang out with. She didn't see the rude, intensely confident boy she met a few hours ago. She saw the shell of a young boy deep inside his eyes who'd been broken many times before.

"Don't be," he repeated. 

Suddenly, they started dancing again, and the spell broke. Aaron Stowe returned to his usual self, never to mention his twin brother again.

* * *

Sky was relieved when the dance ended. She purposely ditched Aaron in the crowd and went to hang out with Crow, who she found playing hide and seek with a group of kids in the maze. She joined them. It was the perfect game to play at a huge maze like this. It was a billion times more fun than talking with Aaron for hours upon hours. She needed a break from society for at least ten minutes.

"Sky!" her mother shouted, making Sky freeze. She'd been about to search for the kids, since she was the seeker. "What do you think you're doing?"

Sky turned around slowly and crossed her arms. "We were just playing-"

"Playing is for children, not sixteen year-olds!" Copper scolded furiously.

"But Crow is playing too!" 

"Crow is a few years younger than you. He is a _boy_."

That hit her like a ton of bricks. In that moment, she was sick of it all. This party, these rules, her clothing. Girls had to be proper and polite. They couldn't play games or wear boys' clothes or just have _fun_. Maybe if she was in a lower social class, she wouldn't have to care about all these things. But she had to. And it was driving her insane. All because she was a _girl_.

Her mother sighed when she saw the look on Sky's face. She took a step closer and held her hands. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

Sky sighed deeply. "I know."

"We really need to go, alright?" A smile stretched across her face. "You see, you're needed at the party right away."

"Why?"

The excited look on her mother's face grew. "How about you see for yourself!"

Sky's mind began to race. Was this what her mother said the surprise was? She felt a tinge of excitement. She hoped this would be a really nice surprise. Today had been boring enough. She and her mother rushed out of the maze, picking up Crow and the children hiding along the way. As they went through the clearing, she stopped dead in her tracks. Every single person at the party was staring straight at her. Her heart hammered in her chest and she sent a panicked look at her mother, who only nodded. Sky searched the many faces and walked forward into the crowd. Why was everyone looking at _her_?

And then she saw him.

Standing in the gazebo, in the center of it all was Aaron. And he was staring at her, too. Hands clenched tightly together, his face displaying a rare hint of nervousness. Feeling confused as ever, she took a deep breath and slowly walked up the path to the gazebo. She wasn't sure if she was going to like what was about to happen, but the stares definetely threw off her confidence. Her body shook with nerves. So this was what her mother was excited about.

Despite not wanting to, Sky stepped into the gazebo. She averted her eyes from the crowd and forced herself to look at Aaron. His expression was devoid of emotion, but his eyes were completely entranced. Even before it'd happened, Sky already knew what Aaron was going to do. And to her horror, her suspicions were right. He sunk to one knee.

_REMAIN CALM, REMAIN CALM, REMAIN CALM!_ Sky's voice chanted in her head. But she could hardly remain calm now. Her breathing was becoming shallow. She thought breathing was difficult enough with the corset before, but now it was impossible. She tried to think logically. She usually was clear-headed in any situation, but apparently this was an exception. She couldn't think straight. It wasn't working.

"Sky," Aaron breathed. He took both her hands in his. They were as sweaty as her's were.

"A-Aaron?" Sky replied, wincing at her stutter. She _never_ stuttered.

"Sky," he repeated. "Will you . . ."

He glanced off into the crowd and looked at his parents. They nodded in approval. He turned back to Sky. "Will you marry me?"

She stared at him like he was crazy. Her world tumbled down before her. So many thoughts were running through her head, and she felt dizzy. She wanted to throw up. She couldn't breathe. Her cheeks were burning like a wildfire, spreading to her entire body. Her ears were ringing, the most important question she'd ever have to answer repeating over and over in her head. She didn't feel any emotion towards Aaron . . . maybe only a bit of sympathy and annoyance, but that was as far as it went.

She didn't love him, that was for sure. But if she said no, she'd be letting her family down. She would be shunned for turning down a marriage proposal from one of the wealthiest boy's her age. She had to do it. She had to say yes. For her family. That was the right thing to do. The brave thing. Although they were rich, it wasn't like they were getting any richer with her dad being gone. This might be a good start to a better life.

But she couldn't. She couldn't make herself say yes. Looking into the future down the road, would Sky really be happy with Aaron? She'd only known him for a few hours, and all he'd done was annoy her. If she agreed, she wouldn't be happy. Sure, she'd have money, but there was so much more to life than being married. Heck, she was only _sixteen_. In her eyes, she'd rather _never_ get married. 

Sky clenched her teeth. She looked back at the crowd and saw her family amongst them, staring in anticipation. Her mother stared at her pleadingly, probably hoping, no, _expecting_ that she say yes. If she said no, she'd crush her mom's heart. And it wasn't like her mother _wouldn't_ keep trying to get Sky to marry again anyway, since Copper got married at a young age, herself.

No matter what, she'd been drawn into a web. Except the spider was marriage, and she was, well, a _fly_. That didn't make her feel any better. Sky quickly glanced back at Aaron. A new thought came to her. Maybe she _did_ have a choice. Maybe things could still go her way. She didn't want to marry him, so maybe if she said no, he'd accept it. It was a long shot, but maybe her mother would be okay with it, too.

And if she tried pressuring Sky to get married, well, that'd be that. At least Sky had done what she wanted.

She let out a shaky breath, meeting Aaron's eyes again. Time for the hard part. His face was hopeful, which made her feel even worse. "Well, uh . . . everyone expects me to marry you. I guess." Her frown deepened. "And . . . you're very charming and wealthy, and you're training to be a Governor."

Aaron smiled smugly upon hearing these things.

_God_ , Sky thought. _He really_ is _self-centered._

She let go of his hands and took a step away. "But . . . look, Aaron, this is all happening so quickly."

His face dropped. "What?"

She took another step away. She didn't dare look at her mother. She couldn't. "I can't . . ."

To say Aaron didn't look happy was an understatement, but she didn't care about anyone's happiness right now. All she cared about was getting herself out of there. She took a step away from Aaron, then another, and another. She got a grip on her brain for a second and choked out one sentence. "I need a moment."

And then she stepped off the gazebo and booked it for the maze.

She slid down again a bush, tears forming in her eyes. Thankfully, no one followed her. _No one_ could see her like this. Because she never cried, and crying was stupid. She rubbed her eyes and tried forcing herself to calm down. But the more she sat there, the angrier she felt. She couldn't _believe_ Aaron had just asked for her hand in marriage! She couldn't believe any of this. Why had her mother kept it a secret that she was going to get married? At least she could've been prepared for it!

She curled up into a ball and screamed into her lap until she was hoarse. She hated this. She _really_ hated this. She couldn't go back out there. She didn't want to face the decision a second time. If it was up to her, she would've sat there forever, avoiding life for the rest of her days. At least living in a maze was less pressure than living anywhere else. But for obvious reasons, she couldn't.

Sky wasn't sure how long she stayed like that, her head buried in her knees. It could've been for an hour or a year. But when she looked up, it was to the sound of a _BOOM!_ shaking the earth. In the distance, somewhere far away, screams rang out. Her eyes widened.

"Oh _no_ ," she whispered.

The island was under attack.

She shakily stood up and heard another booming noise. Fire and smoke lit up the night sky. She ran through the maze, but she had no idea how to get back. Every turn seemed to be a dead end. The hedges were so tall she couldn't see above them. And then, a cannonball sailed through the air, whistling towards her. She didn't scream. She just ran the opposite way-the way she was sure she'd entered from. Another cannonball hit somewhere near her, toppling over a hedge. She stopped, a plan forming in her head. She could get out by going over the fallen hedge!

A whistling sound that was far too loud got even louder. She sprinted for the exit, but she didn't make it. A cannonball grazed the side of her leg as she was running and landed right next to her. She screamed as a horrific pain filled her leg and her body went flying from the impact of the cannonball hitting the earth. She landed hard in the dirt, wincing at the sudden pain. She laid on the ground for a few minutes, taking in heaving gulps of air.

She started to feel overheated. Sweat stained her forehead and heat burned on her neck. She began to cough, but she figured it was only from her tight clothing. Her hair began to come loose from the tight braided updo, and now had many curls hanging out. But it wasn't just that. Her hair started to feel frizzy, and it only felt like that when it was . . .

Horrified, she turned around. Someone had set the garden maze on _fire_.

That was enough to make her run again. She scrambled to her feet, trying to ignore the blazing pain in her legs and heat of the fire. She ran faster than she ever had before, out of the garden maze and into the chaos. There were only the sounds of screaming and yelling. The entire town was set on fire and covered in smoke. People ran in a flurry of panic. Sky couldn't tell who was who.

She rushed through the burning streets. Everywhere, she saw people getting killed, kidnapped, or stolen from. She sucked in a breath at the sight of the attackers, all clad in leather and wielding swords or guns. She narrowed her eyes. _Pirates_.

Only stopping for a second to catch her breath, Sky set off running again. It was almost hard to see, with all the smoke around her. It poured into her lungs, making her cough hard. The air was filled with the sound of weapons clanging and shouts, but she ignored all of it, focusing only on getting to her family. _That_ was what was important. That'd always been what was important, and nothing would ever change that. She had to find them. But where were they?

She limped down the cobblestone streets, searching wildly for her family. All thoughts of Aaron's proposal flew from her head. As bad as that had seemed, this was ten times worse. Not only did she not recognize where she was, but it was becoming hard to tell who was who. Fear rose in her chest, weighing down on her heavily. This was _so_ not good.

Suddenly, Sky felt someone grab her from behind, demanding she hand over money. Her eyes went wide. A million thoughts went through her head. What could she do? She never learned anything about fighting, or what to do if someone tried to rob you. She whipped around, her eyes growing even wider when she saw that the woman - the _pirate_ \- had a gun. Sky froze. She didn't have any money.

"Give me your money!" the woman repeated, holding the gun up for emphasis.

"I don't have any!" Sky shouted.

The woman frowned. "I don't believe you. If you don't hand over your money in ten seconds, I'll-"

Someone punched the woman in the face, sending her reeling. Sky barely had time to shout a "thank you!" before something else grabbed her attention. Another, very familiar voice.

"Sky!" she heard a voice call. She whipped around in the direction of the voice, straining to see who it was through the craziness. And when she did, her mouth dropped open. It was too late. It was Crow and her mother, locked in a cage. They were in a rowboat being taken to a pirate ship. Her mother looked like she was unconscious, and Crow was still screaming her name.

_No, no no._ Sky furrowed her brows in determination. She started sprinting down the street, pushing past people left and right. Her clothes stained with dirt and her hair a mess. If she was faster, she could make it. She was _so close_. The ocean was right there. She just had to be faster somehow, which was hard with her stupid clothes weighing her down. This never would've happened if they hadn't gone to that party. _Never_.

Tears streaming freely down her face, she screamed their names. "CROW! MOTHER!"

Reaching the water's edge, she nearly jumped in right then and there. But something stopped her. As soon as her feet touched the water, fear bubbled to the surface. In general, water had always terrified her a little. She scrambled back, gasping. _Right_. She didn't know how to swim. And she was sure that if she tried, she'd probably drown. Not the best image.

Taking a staggering breath, Sky backed away from the water. She clenched her fists and screamed their names again, but it was hopeless. They were too far away. Too far for her to reach them, and it didn't help that an ocean separated them both. But even if she _did_ reach them, what could she do? Fight back? As determined as she was, Sky was smart enough to know she'd need help. Or a boat, a sword, _anything_.

Suddenly, a dirty hand covered her mouth and another grabbed her from behind. She screamed in alarm, but they were muffled. Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. She tried to pry the hands off of her. They only held her tighter. All the oxygen sucked out of her lungs. She couldn't take another breath without wheezing. She wriggled as more hands grabbed her, and she felt a hot breath against her ear. It was a boy's voice. "You're coming with us."

Then there was a flaring pain in the back of her head, and blackness creeped into her eyesight. Pain exploded through her body. Shouting and screaming rang through her ears. She managed to catch one glimpse of her attacker before her vision, along with the rest of her, went slack.

The boy looked exactly like Aaron.


	2. Alex Stowe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kidnapped by pirates and far away from her family, Sky wakes up in unfamiliar territory.

The feeling of the world swaying beneath her. And blackness.

That was what Sky woke up to the first time around. She could hardly keep her eyes open, struggling to stay conscious. All she could sense was the movement of her body as it swayed with the world. She struggled to move, to breathe, to even think. She felt someone's hair tickle her face and a hand touch her forehead, and a strange creaking noise from above.

And then, worst of all, was the burning. It was like she'd been set on fire, only, there were no flames. No brightness. Only the sensation of heat dancing across her skin, like the sun had planted itself directly in front of her. She was fire. Never to venture into the water, never to rescue her family from that rowboat, never to . . .

"Wake up."

In her mind, Sky heard a voice. She strained her ears to listen, but it sounded thousands of miles away. She didn't have the ability to concentrate or understand what they were saying.

"You need to wake up," the voice said again, clearer this time. Clear enough that Sky could faintly tell it was a boy saying those words. He sounded . . . nice. The words washed over her like water, slightly dousing the fire that consumed her. But the relief didn't last for long, and Sky felt herself slipping away further. She was heating up again. Becoming the sun and fire and everything hot in the world.

"She has a fever-" another voice started to say, though Sky heard nothing more after that. She was yanked from the world again, plummeting into dreams and despair, filled with screams she wanted to forget and faces she couldn't place. The only thing she knew was they were calling her name, over and over like a wave endlessly touching the shore.

"Sky!"

Sky blinked. She was standing on the shore of a burning town, chaos around her. Behind her was the nonstop clashing of swords. She heard someone scream her name again, their voice hoarse. As she turned, her body felt like it was doused in honey. That voice seemed so important, more important than _anything_. But who's was it?

"Sky!" a boy's voice called. She peered into the dark water, lit up by the light of the fire. She could hardly make out their faces, but there they were. Her mother and Crow, sailing away with a band of pirates.

"Not this again," Sky muttered weakly. She ran to them, every step feeling like she was walking on lava. Wrenching hot sparks burst from the ocean's edge, showering her. Not only was the town on fire, but so was the water, it seemed.

"Hold on!" Sky yelled across the burning flames, the heat only getting more intense with every second. She couldn't tell if her family heard her or not.

She ran to the waters edge and - unlike what she'd do in real life - she jumped. Without warning, her two foot jump turned into a plunge from a high cliff, leading to the treacherous water down below. Although she didn't scream, Sky started to panic, her arms flailing around her. Despite everything, she could still see her mother and Crow's little boat from where she was falling. But of course, dreams never went how you expected.

An explosion sounded behind her, and suddenly everything became impossibly bright. The force of it sent Sky flying backwards. She heard nothing but the roaring wind all around her, and the flames were larger than ever. They tickled her skin and burned through her eyelids. She spun in the air, hitting the ocean with a _crash!_ The heat from her body abruptly faded, replaced by a numb coldness.

The last thing she remembered was sinking in a burning sea, knowing her family was gone forever, and wishing she would just drown already.

* * *

"Look, I told you! She's starting to wake up!"

"She is?" A hopeful tone.

" _Yes_ , you dolt. Her fever's finally broken. I'm guessing she won't stay awake long, but it should be long enough."

There was a pause.

"Her eyes are opening!"

"What should I say? It has to sound like I'm intimidating."

"Act natural! Whatever. Hurry up."

"Okay, okay."

Sky struggled to open her eyes. They felt impossibly heavy, but when they finally fluttered open, she was met with two blurred figures above her. The blurriness soon sharpened, forming the face of an olive-skinned girl sitting cross-legged on the floor beside Sky's cot. She looked nothing like the girls Sky had grown up with. If any civilized person had seen the girl, he or she most certainly would've let out a gasp of disapproval. Her clothes had a thin layer of dust on them, and her skin was flawed with cuts and scrapes. There was no tight-fitting dress of any kind on her. Instead, she sported a loose white blouse, trousers, and tall boots. Her dark hair wasn't brushed nor pulled into an elegant hair style. In fact, it looked like she hadn't taken it out of it's braid for weeks.

And next to her . . .

Sky's eyes shot fully open, and the pain hit her like bullets as she did so. She grunted, but could hardly speak through her chapped lips and dry mouth.

The very familiar-looking boy next to the girl shoved a mug of water in her face. He held it up to her lips. "Here." He smiled gently. "You want water?"

Sky had no idea what was going on. Why was this boy so familiar? Where was she? What was going on? She struggled to piece it all together. Her head was pounding and she felt weirdly clammy all over, but even in her state she could tell something wasn't right. She'd seen this boy before, somehow.

She tried to move her hands to get the water, but everything felt weak. She narrowed her eyes as the boy tilted the cup into her mouth without warning. Just as water passed her lips, a incredulous thought made its way into her head. No . . . _no way_. The boy was-

She sputtered, sending water flying at the boy. His expression turned to one of pure disgust as he wiped the spit and water off his face. Which quickly melted into a smile. "Whoa! What was _that_ for?!"

The girl next to him burst out laughing in such an unladylike manner that it made Sky jump. She was shaking so hard she was afraid the girl was having a seizure. Her eyes darted from the girl to the boy. The boy who looked exactly like Aaron, but no, it _couldn't_ be Aaron. This boy had longer hair, curly and unbrushed. His eyes held no secrets full of despair. His light skin was tanned by the sun, his hands and bare feet were darkened with dirt. The way he held himself wasn't stiff, but filled with a different kind of confidence.

Lastly, although the sensible part in the back of her brain refused to admit it, he was undeniably cute. Not that that mattered, since these people were obviously barbarians.

She looked from the girl to the boy, utterly lost, angry, and growing more terrified by the second. But she kept her mouth shut, instead glaring silently. She quickly glanced at the cell around her. It was small and dimly-lit, the only light coming from a trapdoor from above. Beyond that, other cells were scattered down the hallway. But all of them were empty.

Sky swallowed hard. Suddenly, it all made sense. The swaying sensation. The dirty, unkept strangers in front of her. She was on a ship. A _pirate_ ship.

"It's okay!" the boy said, shifting uncomfortably when she continued to glare at him. "We're just trying to help you."

"You probably poisoned it," Sky said, her voice coming out hoarse and ragged.

"Nope. It's just water." He lifted it to her face again, but she leaned back as far as she could go. Frowning, the boy placed it on the ground instead.

"You'll help me by _letting me go_." Sky was amazed at the power in her own voice. The questions shot out like wildfire. "Who are you? Why am I here? Are you pirates? Do you plan to kill me? Do you-"

"Hold up, princess," the boy interrupted, setting the cup on the floor next to the cot she was laying on. "Let's start with the introductions. Hi. I'm Alex, and this is Lani. Welcome to the Artime, the most unwanted ship and crew of the high seas."

Sky glared. So they _were_ pirates.

She pushed herself up with her hands, her body shaking from the effort. Her head pounded, her skin itched and her leg burned. Oh, god. She didn't dare look at what she assumed was a nasty burn on her leg. That wasn't the biggest concern for now.

"But you can't be . . ." Sky shook her head in disbelief. "You're not Aaron?"

Lani cast a significant look at Alex, who knew exactly what Sky was talking about. His face abruptly tightened. Then, Alex smiled. "I knew you'd mention my evil twin brother. Quite convenient I picked you up, huh? Saved you from marrying that brat."

Sky's head swam. Alex was Aaron's twin brother? But hadn't Aaron said that he had a brother once who had passed away? Did he not know Alex was a pirate? Why on earth would Alex want to prevent Aaron from marrying her?

With a shiver, Sky was again painfully aware how alike Alex and Aaron looked. Nearly identical. "But Aaron thinks you're . . ." Sky trailed off, rolling her eyes. "I don't care. Just - I _demand_ you let me off this ship."

"I can't do that."

She forgot all proper manners as she fumed in disbelief. Though she tried to sound forceful and poised, her voice was quavering. "Why not?"

He shrugged. "Because I say so."

Sky's anger rose. "You can't do this. I was nearly ready to be married! Wasn't it you who launched fireballs on my island? You captured-" She almost mentioned her mother and Crow, but cut herself off. Maybe because if she talked about them, she might break down. And Sky couldn't break down, not in front of _these_ people.

When they said nothing, only exchanging a look with each other, Sky gritted her teeth. "What could you possibly want with me?"

Alex stood up, followed by Lani who walked out the door. "Look, I promise I'm not the bad guy. I'm not gonna hurt you, and although you might think so, _I_ don't capture anyone."

"Except me?"

The boy stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes locked with hers. She could've sworn she saw his face redden, as if she'd caught him off guard. He probably hadn't considered that. Sky shot daggers at him, not giving herself the opportunity to let her guard down. She had to be strong, not just for herself but for her mother, for Crow. Somehow, she had to make it for them.

Slowly, Alex leaned forward and bent down, his hands on his knees. "Just enjoy your trip, Warbler girl. I swear you'll thank me for this later."

Sky's eyes widened. Her heart pounded out of her chest at the close proximity. It struck her again, just how weird it was that Alex and Aaron looked so alike. And yet, if Aaron was in this position Sky doubted her heart would be pounding as hard. She forced herself to ignore it. It was from the fear. Had to be the fear.

"Sky."

He blinked, his confident facade crumbling for a moment. "Huh?"

"My name is Sky."

Alex straightened up, giving her a grin that she didn't return. "Well, Sky, I hope you like living in what us pirates call . . . the unwanted life."

He left her there, closing the cell door behind him. His footsteps echoed as he climbed abovedecks, leaving her alone. Sky's heart couldn't have been beating faster. Her face felt hot. Weirdly, Sky found herself missing his company. But since she wasn't thinking logically, she let it slide. Even though pirates disgusted her, being alone made her realize just how dark and cold it was in here. And after losing her family, well, having someone to talk to would've been nice, as long as they weren't her captors.

She had millions of questions, and unfortunately none that she could answer herself. As far as pirates went, these didn't seem _as_ scary as Sky would've imagined. Probably because they seemed to be around her age. But that didn't change anything. She was being held hostage, miraculously by Aaron's twin brother, who apparently _wasn't_ dead.

Why had he even captured her, anyway? For some kind of revenge? Sky didn't know, but it was frustrating that she was stuck here, instead of being with her family. What were they planning on doing with her, now that she was here? Interrogate her? Kill her? Both seemed extreme, but whatever the case, Sky wouldn't stop trying to figure this whole thing out.

She noticed she had been stripped down to her undergarments, which proved a relief and slight embarrassment. On her leg was a bloodstained bandage. When she reached up, she felt her hair was out of its updo and flowing freely down her back, not something she minded. She stared blankly around the small, dark room and sighed, curling up against the cold floor.

Sky listened to the waves below and was half-amazed, half-terrified with how drastically her life had changed in a day. She couldn't believe the horrifying turn of events. Hours ago (or maybe days) her biggest worry was about how to deal with Aaron. Now, it was to escape a _pirate ship_. What was worse was that Sky couldn't swim, so escaping was nearly impossible when she was in the middle of the sea. How was she going to get out of here?

All she could do was think of her family, who were most likely in a worse shape than she was right now. How could she let this happen? If she'd never run into the maze to avoid marrying Aaron, maybe they never would've separated! Ugh. Sky had never believed in karma, but she certainly was starting to now. She must've made the worst mistake of her life by leaving her family. Now, they were gone. _Gone_. All because of her.

Alex had seemed genuine when he'd said he never captured anyone, with the exception of Sky. So that had to mean her family was somewhere else, maybe on a different ship. After all, there'd been more than one, as Sky had noticed. But that made things even _more_ complicated. If Alex and his crew hadn't captured her mother and Crow, than who?

Her mind drifted to Aaron. Maybe Alex had been doing her a favor, after all. She never wanted to marry the stuck-up boy who bragged far too much about himself. Maybe this was a chance for her to decide things . . . for herself. Even if it meant being held prisoner on a pirate ship. At least it gave her some time. Although, she had to admit she'd rather be locked up with her family right now.

She didn't know how long she sat there thinking until light poured from an opening outside her cell. A person came down the ladder, this time a different girl. Her messy red hair flowed freely, tumbling past her shoulders. She wore a vest and blouse similar to what Lani was wearing, along with a pair of trousers and boots. She was holding a plate a food, which smelled delicious from where Sky was sitting. Prisoner or no, she was pretty hungry.

"Hello!" the girl said, a smile on her face. "You must be Sky."

"That's me," Sky said quietly, slightly taken aback at the girl's nice attitude. She propped herself up as the girl walked in her cell and set the food down. Sky took it, giving the girl a suspicious look.

The girl must've caught her gaze, because she smiled. "I didn't do anything to it, if that's what you're worried about. We may be pirates, but we're not barbarians."

Sky would've argued with that, but she was hungry to care about the girl's comment. Hesitantly, she grabbed the food. It was bread. She felt it with her hands, cautiously lifting it to her nose to sniff it. Since it seemed edible enough, Sky began to eat, despite not fully trusting that it wasn't poison. The meal was only chunks of bread and vegetables, not the fancy gourmet cooking she was used to, but it'd have to do.

When Sky was done, she glanced up at the girl, who'd waited silently for her to finish. "I have questions," she said, wiping her mouth. She already felt the energy returning to her body, making her feel a bit better. "Where are we going?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that."

She let out a pained sigh. "I _need_ to know. I need to get out of here and - and -" She inhaled slowly, feeling herself on the verge of tears. _Remain calm._ She opened her mouth again, continuing more slowly, more softly. "I have to find my family. They were _kidnapped_."

The girl gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm _so_ sorry to hear that. Who captured your mother and brother? My guess would be Captain Baldhead, practically the ruler of the seas." She shrugged. "I saw his ship there, and he's the evilest of any of us." She quickly corrected herself with a chuckle. "Not that _we're_ evil. Our crew is great, I promise."

That didn't make Sky feel any better, and it didn't help that she'd never even _heard_ of Captain Baldhead before. "Is there a way to get them back?"

The girl spoke softly, never raising her voice above a normal-speaking tone. "I wish I could say I knew."

"But you're a pirate," Sky pressed. "Surely you could do _something_."

"Just because we're pirates doesn't mean we're invincible," the girl said, releasing a quiet breath she seemed to have been holding. "Now, get some sleep. It's been a full day since we brought you here, but your wounds look pretty bad."

"Thank you," Sky whispered in the dark. "What's your name?"

"Meghan," the girl replied with a yawn. She went to the ladder and began climbing up to the deck, throwing a smile back at her. "Good night, Sky."

"Good night."

A sheepish smile tugged at Sky's lips. She wondered if maybe, she'd made a friend in this desolated place. Maybe an acquaintance, if nothing else. The smile quickly faded, though, and her worries pressed her. She wondered if anyone knew or even cared she was missing. Even if they did, no one would knew where she was. An involuntary shudder wracked her body. Squeezing her eyes shut, Sky laid back down on her cot. She let the rock of the ship comfort her, a reminiscent of the way her mother used to when she was little.

And all the while, she replayed the events of losing her family, over and over again.

God, she wished they were here.

* * *

First it was a few hours, which bled into a few days. During that time, she sat in the tiny cell, mostly sleeping or sometimes talking to Meghan, as she was the only one who visited. The seventh morning of her stay brought new hopes and a cool, soft breeze streaming from the hatch where the ladder was thrown down every so often. Someone had left a fresh pair of clothes that looked suspiciously like Alex's, but the captive girl was quick to change into them. It beat wearing the unwashed undergarments she'd been wearing the whole time. She was never allowed to wear anything outside of a dress, so everything felt a bit weird and inappropriate wearing pants.

On the deck above, as Sky heard the bustling and stomping of feet, she once more wished to journey up to the world above. The dungeons were clean, but they were empty, and after the days of sitting helplessly, she was ready for some kind of entertainment. It was relieving (and irritating) when finally, before noon, the captain came downstairs with a plate of food.

"Sleep well?" Alex asked.

"What do you think?" Sky replied, gesturing to her cot made of straw and bits of cloth.

Alex only laughed, making her frown. He handed the plate to Sky, which she accepted apprehensively. "Oh, I get it. You're used to the rich life. Huge mansions, not a speck of dust on your carpets, and beds that feel like clouds."

Sky didn't know how to reply without agreeing. So instead, she just shrugged.

He laughed again. "That's what I figured. Don't take everything for granted, you know?"

She thought of her mother and Crow. No, it wasn't her taking her old things for granted. It was her taking her family for granted, and that messed everything up. If her family was at least with her now, things wouldn't be half as bad. "Why did you want to keep me from marrying Aaron? He thinks that you're dead!"

Alex shook his head, his hair swaying as he did so. The smile faded from his face and his eyebrows furrowed as he spoke. "You have no idea what kind of monster you were about to marry. My brother? Trust me, even a girl like you wouldn't want to marry him."

Sky felt offended. "A girl like me? What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

He blushed. "Oops, didn't mean it like that."

Sky narrowed her eyes. "Sure . . ."

"Hey, Aaron and I . . . we just have a really complicated history. Have you ever thought that maybe the reason he thinks I'm dead is because I made him think it?"

Silence seeped in, an obvious tension between them. Sky wished she could obliterate him where he stood. "I don't care why you made him think you're dead. All I know is, you captured _me_. And even if it wasn't you, somebody captured my family too. Meghan said that if someone captured them, it would be Captain Baldhead. You know him?"

From the darkened look on the captain's face, he did. He blew out a breath. "That's, uh . . . yes, I know him. We aren't on the best of terms, let's just say that."

"So are you going to let me out?"

"I never said that."

She went silent and swallowed the lump down that was forming in her throat. "I don't believe this! If you were a good pirate, you'd let me escape to go save my family."

"Right," Alex said, smiling at her. "Look I'd want to help you find your family, but if they're with Captain Baldhead than they might . . ." Seeing the look on her face, he shook his head with a sigh. "They'll be okay, but if you go looking for Captain Baldhead you'd just get yourself killed. And I'm guessing either way, you'd be arranged right away to marry my evil brother."

That made Sky frown, but she said nothing. He opened and closed the jail cell, locking it behind him. He climbed up the ladder and opened the hatch, rare sunlight shining down on the dimly-lit dungeon. Sky was in no hurry to try and escape. Standing up and walking around was not an option with her still-injured leg.

Before going up, he turned to her, a mischievous smile on his face that made Sky's heart pound all over again. "You're wrong. I'm a great pirate, actually. I'd let you walk off the plank _any_ day before sailing to Captain Baldhead's territory."

"How dare-"

But her accusations were cut off by the hatch closing and the light disappearing. Sky clenched her fists in aggravation. She didn't like where _any_ of this was going, and talking to Alex never seemed to clear anything up. In fact, it only confused her _more_. That boy made her feel so . . . the words wouldn't describe the rocketing somersaults she felt in her stomach. Inwardly yelling at herself to get a grip, Sky brainstormed a plan.

All she knew was Captain Baldhead had her mother and Crow, and she was going to save them.


End file.
